


Embrace The Other Side

by oasis_n



Category: The Greatest Showman (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Léon (1994), Character Death, Crime Scenes, Heavy Angst, I love Léon but the movie really hurts, I'm Sorry, M/M, assassin!Phineas, may add characters as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-04-22
Packaged: 2019-04-26 08:40:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14398389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oasis_n/pseuds/oasis_n
Summary: An AU of Léon for Barlyle.Phillip believed his life was a complete failure. But when he got a new neighbor—whose grin could make his day—he felt his life became less miserable.But back then he didn't know that something really bad awaits him.





	Embrace The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> The title and the whole idea of this work are from the movie Wolverine that Stryker said to Logan: "To kill him, you're gonna have to embrace the other side."   
> Phillip is set to be a college student, and P.T. is around 40. Phillip also has a younger brother named Troy. I'm sure you know how I come up with this name. And I'd like to apologize to Troy and Phillip. I'm very sorry.  
> (I'm not a native speaker, sorry for any mistakes)  
> Hope you enjoy! Kudos and comments are always welcome. 

Phillip believed his life was a complete failure. 

He was born into an old money family, and one of his forefathers once had a title. Phillip could recall a vivid memory when he was a little boy that his father kept telling him about the past glory days, standing before the portrait of his great-grandfather. Although the Carlyle's were no longer nobles, his parents raised him with high standards of etiquette, as if they could be conferred with the titles again in their lifetime. 

Phillip spent almost all his childhood in the mansion of the Carlyle's. No laughing or running was allowed. He was taught to be mature, steady and obedient. And the most important rule to abide was to never stand against his father’s authority. So Phillip grew up just as his father had planned. 

When Phillip's parents introduced him to society, he started to learn to ignore the mockery. Because no matter how hard Mr. Carlyle tried to act as a true aristocrat, he was not one of them anyway. But soon enough Phillip found out that he didn’t need to practice how to deal with those sarcastic people anymore. 

The Carlyle's went bankrupt. 

They were evicted from their mansion which, his father asserted, had a long history. They were allowed to take the necessities with them, Phillip had no idea why the painting of the great-grandfather was included. 

They moved into a low-priced apartment where his parent wouldn’t set foot within 10 feet radius before. Phillip didn’t know whether it was at this moment his life took a downturn or it was a synonym of pathetic from the start. He guessed it was the latter. 

Phillip could hardly understand why his parents refused to sell those bone-china cups even in this circumstance. After all, he hadn’t been a noble for a single day. Oh, neither did his parents.

Phillip's brother, Troy, was born in the last year of their stay in the old mansion. 

Maybe his "control freak" parents were fully satiated with what they have done to Phillip, or perhaps they knew they couldn’t afford to have a second whole package aristocratic education. As a result, Troy’s childhood was happy and free. Phillip wouldn’t say he was jealous because he was taught to have a big heart. At most, Phillip admired that Troy got to hang with his friends with soda in hand while he had to wear the shirt he had washed for hundreds of time and check if he could stiffen his collar up a bit. However, that didn’t help much with the scoffs, yes, new ones.

“Here enters Monsieur Carlyle!”

“How come your chauffeur isn’t escorting you school?”

Someone pushed Phillip. He fell to the ground, scraping his palms. 

"Oh, he tripped."

“Where is your servant to hold you up?”

The malicious laughter of the boys gave Phillip a headache, he picked himself up slowly, and the first thing on his mind was to check if his trousers were torn. 

Lucky him, as long as his trousers and shirts were intact and stainless, he could handle the rest.

Phillip couldn’t stand up to the bullies. And didn’t dare to tell his parents about what happened in the school because that would be nonsense. Phillip’s shoes must be shiny when he came home. However, Troy could dribble his muddy basketball wherever he likes. To Troy, they might be loving parents. But to Phillip, they never were. But still, after all, they were brothers. He loved Troy.

Phillip noticed that the family's financial situation seemed to be improving, judging from the old stuff appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was his father, who can't wait to redeem the furniture once belonged to the Carlyle's as soon as he had the money.  Last Christmas, they even went to a show of the famous opera singer—Jenny Lind. It's been a long time since Phillip last set foot in that classy place.  He didn’t know what his father did for a living, and he shouldn’t ask. He was just okay as long as it made his and Troy’s life a little easier. 

The Carlyle's had a new neighbor the year Phillip went to college. The man lived in the room at the end of the hall. He was around 40 and probably lived alone. He seemed to be ordinary—no rich man would live here—but he sometimes wore expensive coats. Phillip now only had expert eyes for luxury—how pathetic. 

Phillip had never talked to the man on account of his family rule: no talking to anyone who lived in this cheap apartment. So when the man met Phillip in the hallway again, Phillip just stepped aside to let him pass. 

The man opened his door and walked in. Before he shut the door, he smiled at Phillip.

No Carlyle's rule forbade responding to a greeting. 

Phillip forced a smile; he couldn't remember last time he smiled or laughed or anything. 

The man grinned back at Phillip. And then he closed the door. 

Phillip suddenly felt his life became less miserable. 

 

 


End file.
